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Causes and consequences of biotic interactions within microbiomes
Casey M Cosetta1, Benjamin E Wolfe1
1Tufts University, Department of Biology, Medford, MA 02155, United States.
Current Opinion in Microbiology
|October 19, 2019
Summary
Biotic interactions significantly influence microbiome assembly through various processes and mechanisms. Further research is needed to explore cryptic interactions and their evolutionary impacts for microbiome management.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- Microbiome assembly is increasingly understood through pattern-process-mechanism frameworks.
- Biotic interactions, including competition and facilitation, explain observed microbiome diversity.
- Molecular mechanisms like antibiotic production and nutrient cross-feeding underpin these interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the significance and generalizability of biotic interactions in microbiomes.
- To address the limitations of studying easily quantifiable phenotypes and narrow microbial diversity.
- To explore the evolutionary consequences of microbial interactions.
Main Methods:
- Integrative approach combining pattern, process, and mechanism analysis.
- Review of existing metagenomic and molecular studies on microbial interactions.
- Focus on identifying both overt and cryptic interaction mechanisms.
Main Results:
- Biotic interactions are key drivers of microbiome structure and function.
- Many interactions may be cryptic, lacking obvious phenotypic changes.
- Limited phylogenetic scope in current research restricts understanding of conserved mechanisms.
Conclusions:
- Understanding biotic interactions is crucial for microbiome manipulation and management.
- Exploring diverse microbial interactions and their evolutionary impacts is a key future direction.
- Investigating chemical and genetic mechanisms can yield novel microbiome management tools.
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